Who is Subhash Palekar? A renowned Agriculturist. Lets know more about him over Wikipedia
Subhash Palekar's own website : http://www.palekarzerobudgetspiritualfarming.org/home.aspx
This is in his own words Five Layer Palekar Orchard Models (Part I)
Five Layer Palekar Orchard Models (Part II)
The model 1 gives us 61 trees (big and small), 92 shrubs /plants with a cereal crop like bajra in the open space in addition to vegetables and pulses that will grow in the trenches, per 36X36 Sq Ft plot.
This means we have 33 times the same in 1 acre.[33 may become less, as we leave paths in between or if sharing same borders, one side gets reduced] There are items that can be harvested in 3 months and there are trees that need time to grow, but eventually, we can expect zero investment return later.
If I choose Model 1, I can go for the Orchard that has forest look with layers
Layer 1
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Mango and/or Sapota
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Trees- Can grow up to 90 feet in height and 80 feet in width
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Qty 4 per 36x36 Sq Ft Plot. We can divide the 1 acre into plots leaving walking place in between.
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Layer 2
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Gooseberry/Oranges/
Guava
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Tree/Shrub - max can grow up to 50 feet. Average u can say 30 feet or less
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Qty 1 in center
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Layer 3
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Custard Apple/Pomegranate/
lemon
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Shrubs - This is even smalle. No more than 20 feet.
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Qty 20
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Layer 4
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Castor + Beans to climb
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Plants - Even Smaller just 6 feet maybe
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Qty 20
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Layer 5
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Drumstick + Creeper vegetables
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Since it is a tree and can grow really tall upto 65 feet, and because you want to be able to use it regularly, keep pruning it to 8-12 feet.
We are not growing this has hedge but as nitrogen fixer. So we can let it grow tall upto 8-12 feet. However if it was hedge, maintain it as 6 feet.
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Qty 16. Drumstick is the Nitrogen fixer for each 9x9 Sq feet plot as subdivided in the 36x36 layered plot
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Now the Forest Floor
Pigeon Pea Lentils
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20 along with (20)Millets
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Chillies
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72
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Trenches
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holding other pulses and vegetables that need more moisture and water
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The model basically aims to use every inch of the soil we have and make it look like forest with its layers of canopy and forest floor. You can read my previous post about layers of forest floor.
You can listen to the farmer in the second video to know about 5 layer Palekar Orchard Model -II in the second video posted above.
I will draw this on a drafts or presentation sheet and post it here for better understanding.
Better, we can buy Subhash Palekar's books and watch his video presentations. They are not expensive at all.
- Five Layer Palekar Orchard Models (Part I) (Mango, Pomegranate, Sapota, Drumstick, Amla, Custard apple, Orange, Mosambi, Lemon, Gauva)
- Five Layer Palekar Orchard Models (Part II) (Coconut, Areca nut, Black pepper, Cocoa, Coffee, Vanilla, Rubber, Palm oil, Pine apple)
Now what we need as complementary raw materials for our work is the raw materials that we are always going to need. They are the fungicides, pesticides, penta-manure, microorganism cultures that are needed as part of zero budget farming as propounded by Palekar. Ofcourse initially it is a little bit of investment as far as buying cows goes and investment to time to have required herbal plants growing about in our fields.
If we check Palekar's website or videos on You Tube, you would get an idea of what I am talking about. He is essentially talking Mulching, Humus, Dashaparni Kashayam, Jeevamrityam, Beejamrityam etc. We need these as supplements for our farming needs all the time. The borewells are not important for rain fed crops as much as his jeevamrityam is needed on regular basis along side, mulch and Dashaparni Kashayam.
To make it easy key ingredients that we have to grow on farm for regular usage are:
- Raising Cows for Cows for Dung and Urine
- Have Compost grounds (called Penta in Telugu) for period of 10 months, every year
- 10 types of medicinal plants:
Telugu
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Marathi
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English
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Botanical Names
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Yaapa
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Neem
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Neem
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Kanuga
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Karanja
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Pongamia Pinnata
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Seethaphalamu
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Seethaphal
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Custard Apple
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Avindam
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Aerendi
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Castor
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Ummetha (Tella)
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Dhatura
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Devil’s Trumpet
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Vailaaku
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Nirgundi
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5 leaved Chaste
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Mamidi
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Aam
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mango
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Jaama
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Amrood
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Guava
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Jilledu (Tella)
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Pulikampa
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Tantani
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Lantana Camera
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